Guides:Mecha Mechanics
Mecha Attributes The three most important attributes for any Mecha are: Maneuverability (MV) MV represents the Mecha's agility and ability to make high speed moves. It never has a value higher than 0, and will most often be a negative value. MV is deducted from your character's Mecha Piloting skill when evading incoming fire, or pulling high-risk maneuvers such as stepping off high ground. This means that Mecha with a low MV score will be hit more often in combat and be more likely to crash. It also determines the speed at which a mecha can change direction. Targetting (TR) TR is a measure of how accurately the Mecha can aim it's weapon systems. Like MV it can never be higher than 0 and will most often be a negative value. It is deducted from your character's appropriate weaponry skill when attacking a target. Low TR scores can be offset by installing a Targeting Computer component into your Mecha, but a Targeting Computer cannot raise TR above 0, no matter how good it is. Sensors (SE) SE represents the mecha's ability to detect the outside world and relay that information to its pilot. Unlike MV and TR it is usually higher than 0. A high value of SE will allow a mech's pilot to spot enemies at greater range and overcome enemy attempts at hiding under cover. There are also 'lesser' attributes which have a less direct effect on the mecha, but still need to be considered by the pilot. Tonnage (t) Simply put, the total weight of the mecha in tons. Heavier mecha tend to have lower MV and TR ratings, and a lower speed. Points Value (PV) A rating of how deadly the mecha is, based on the accumulated cost of it's component parts and the values of it's primary attributes. It's also the cost of the mecha in dollars. When a mecha is in use, the PV of the mecha's pilot is calculated and added to the hardware PV cost, allowing players to take a guess at the skill level of their opposition. Hands (Hnd) The number of hands the mecha has, usually equal to the number of arms. Each hand can wield a single weapon. Mounts (Mnt) The number of weapon mounts on the mecha. Each mount can hold a single weapon and a propulsion system. Speed How fast your Mecha can move. This is tracked as separate ratings for each movement system the mecha has (Roll, skim, walk, fly). Unsurprisingly, higher speed mechas move faster. Jump Jump is measured as time in seconds. Mecha that have arc jets or flight jets, but are not aerodynamic can jump instead of flying. This allows them to move in a straight line at maximum height (5) for however long their Jump rating is. Jump systems typically need time to recharge after a jump. Size Factor (SF) GearHead has three size factors. SF:0 represents personal scale items. SF:1 are 'mini' mecha such as the Strongarm. SF:2 are 'full scale' mecha and are the most common type. SF:0 and SF:1 weapon systems will be much more accurate than SF:2 weapons when fired at SF:2 mecha and will be more likely to cause critical hits, but their damage rating is much lower. SF:2 weapons are less likely to hit smaller mecha or people, but will cause huge amounts of damage when they do hit. Mecha Types 'Mecha' is a catch-all term for vehicles in GearHead. As well as the traditional giant fighting robots it also covers ground vehicles and aircraft. Mecha are broken down into the following seven main types: Battroids These are the traditional giant fighting robots. They tend to be humanoid in shape. They are all capable of moving in 'walk' mode, and some have hoverjets or wheels installed to allow them to 'skim' or 'roll' as well. Battroids are the 'base' to which other types of mecha are compared. Most mecha in the game are Battroids. Zoanoids This type of mecha are modeled on dinosaurs or animals, such as the wolflike Fenris class mecha. Like the battroids they are capable of walking, but rarely have other modes of movement. They tend to be fast and highly maneuverable, but have trouble with targeting as their weapon arrays are restricted Groundhuggers A groundhugger is a wheeled, tracked or hovering mecha that stays at ground level. Tanks, trucks and cars are all groundhuggers. A groundhugger is a more stable weapons platform than a battroid, resulting in higher TR scores, and they tend to be better armoured. However, their MV is typically much worse. Groundhuggers are able to take advantage of Turret modules, allowing them to mount weapons with a 360 degree arc of fire. Arachnoids An arachnoid is a walking tank, modeled after spiders. They typically have between two and eight legs, making for a stable and maneuverable weapons platform. However, their lack of 'arms' means they cannot use shields for additional defense. Like groundhuggers, arachnoid mechas can make use of turret modules. Aeromechs Aeromechs are aircraft, fighters, bombers and some spacecraft. They tend to be extremely fast and provide a stable platform for weapons targeting. Unfortunately they're not as maneuverable as ground mecha, tend to have poor armour in order to save weight and have a wide turning circle. They're also prone to crashing once their wings are shot off. All aeromechs have a stall speed of 150 dpr, so when modding an aeromech be sure any additional weight you add does not reduce it's speed below this value. This class of mecha is only recommended for the expert player. Hoverfighters Heavier than Aeromechs, these mecha, as their name implies, maneuver in hover mode as well as flight, rather like a helicopter. Unlike Aeromechs these mecha can be equipped with turrets. Gerwalkers This type of mecha is a hybrid of the aeromech and battroid mecha, resembling birds or winged humanoids. They're capable of both flight and ground based movement.